Electronic circuits, including electronic circuits used in connection with antenna systems, typically include a number of components. These components can be discrete devices, or provided as part of integrated circuits. Whether provided as discrete devices or integrated circuits, multiple electronic components are often interconnected to one another by placing those components on one or more printed circuit boards. In addition to providing a structural member to which components can be attached, a printed circuit board typically provides electrically conductive lines or traces on one or more layers to conduct radio frequency, power and control signals to and between attached components. When used in connection with implementing complex circuits, the design of the individual circuit boards can become quite complex. In addition, where a large number of components are to be interconnected to a printed circuit board, the area of the board can become quite large, and a relatively large number of layers may be required to provide the necessary connective traces. One consideration in the design of electronic circuits is the size of those circuits. In particular, by making devices smaller, certain performance parameters can be improved, and the devices can be easier to package and transport. Also, it can be desirable to maintain electronic circuitry within size limits that are defined by certain components of a device implemented using the electronic circuitry or a component of that circuitry.
One example of electronic circuitry that can be quite complex, but that is desirably deployed within a relatively small area, is a phased array antenna. In a phased array antenna, multiple antenna elements or radiator elements are deployed across a surface. The size of each radiator element is generally determined by the intended operating frequency or frequencies of the antenna. Furthermore, as more radiator elements are provided, the antenna beam can be more narrowly focused and directed by applying selected phase delays to the signal comprising the beam that is delivered to (or received from) each of the radiator elements. That is, by varying the delay of a signal, the corresponding beam can be scanned along one dimension for a one-dimensional array of radiator elements, and along two-dimensions for a two-dimensional array of radiator elements. In addition, the maximum scanning angle that can be provided by an antenna will increase as the space between radiator elements is decreased. Accordingly, the antenna or radiator elements of a phased array antenna generally occupy an area that is defined by the size of the individual radiator elements, the number of radiator elements, and the spacing between radiator elements.
The size of the radiator elements of a phased array antenna system generally decreases as the operating frequency of the system increases. Because of the limited area defined by the radiator elements in a high frequency system, it has been difficult or impossible to provide adequate space for the support electronics. In particular, the area on the side of the antenna opposite the side on which the array of antenna elements is formed is insufficient to contain the electronic components for the supporting amplifiers and phase shifters. Therefore, in order to provide the area necessary for complex beam forming networks and associated active components for operation at high frequencies, additional circuit boards can be placed behind the board on which the radiator elements are formed. For example, additional circuit boards can be arranged such that they are perpendicular to the board on which the radiator elements are formed. This allows the space available for supporting circuitry to be expanded into three dimensions. However, the volume of such assemblies can become quite large. Moreover, in connection with antennas designed to operate at high frequencies, the small size of the corresponding radiator elements results in there being less area for corresponding support electronics. In addition, the use of multiple circuit boards can result in increased fabrication and assembly costs, as there are a large number of individual boards to which discrete components must be interconnected, and those boards must then be interconnected to one another.